Canada's Porter Airlines partners with Qatar Airways

Reuters

Aug 8 (Reuters) - Porter Airlines, a small, short-haulCanadian airline, said on Wednesday it has signed an interlinepartnership agreement with Qatar Airways, Porter's first suchventure. Porter's chief executive said it would seek more suchdeals.

"It's the beginning of a plan to add multiple interlinepartners in 2012, introducing Porter to an entirely new set ofpassengers," said Robert Deluce, Porter's president and CEO.

Porter, launched nearly six years ago, flies short-haulflights in Eastern Canada as well as into the United States fromits hub, the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The airport issituated on an island minutes from downtown Toronto.

It competes with Air Canada and WestJet Airlines Ltd.

Qatar Airways is the Gulf state's flag carrier.

Under the agreement, Qatar's flights between Doha andMontreal and Washington-Dulles can now connect more easily toPorter flights to Toronto and Halifax, Nova Scotia.